Cable grip



March 26, 1929. I Q MOFFITT I 1,706,805

CABLE GRIP Filed July 12, 1928 ATTORNEYS 7 sive.

Patented Mar. 26, 1929.- i

' U I ED TATE v LAMONT ERNEST Momma,

or BROOKLYN, New YORK.

CABLE GRIP.

Application filed luly 12,

This invention relates tocable grips and particularly to a deviceforpulling mult1ple strand cablessuch as are employed as con- I :wedge isforced backwardly to release the,

ductors of electric current, through conduits.

Electric cables consist of two or more strands of conductors enclosed insuitable insulation and surrounded by a metallic sheath- Such cables areheavy and relatively stiff. Considerable difficulty is experienced,there? fore, in pulling the cables through underground conduits andparticularly in providing a suitable connection between the cable andthe draft mechanism.

So-called basket grips which engage the cable sheath have been tried,but such .devices tend to strip the sheathfrom and thus destroy thecable. Consequently it has been the practice to employ pulling eyeswhich are sweated to the ends of the conducting strands with solder. Thelatter operation requires skill and time and is correspondingly expen-It is the objcct'of the present invention to provide a simple andeffective grip which is adapted to engage and to securely hold the endsof the multiple strands of the cable and to permit the application ofdraft thereto. Other objects and advantages of the invention will beunderstood by reference to the following specification and accompanyingdrawing, in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through the device, a

Fig. 2 is an end view thereof. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3.3 ofFig. 1, Fig. 4 is an end view of the wedge, and a Fig. .5 is a viewinperspective of a section" of cable with the strands bared forengagement with the device.

The cable grip or draft device embodying the invention comprises a shellhaving a tapered opening therein and a taperedwedge having grooves'toreceivethestrands of the cable. The strands are first bared by removinga portion of the sheathand insulation from. the end of thecable and arethen inserted through the smaller end of the, tapered opening throughthe shell. The wedge is centered between the strandsv and is driven to atight fit. Thereafter an eye-block is in serted in the larger end of theopening through the shell and is secured by a pin. The eye-block maybeconnected to a swivel 7 link through which draft is applied. Owing tothe frictional contact betweenthe strands 1 and the "shell and wedge theapplication of- 192a Sean No. 292,252.

draft wedges thestrands firmlywithin the shellso that they cannotbeseparated therefrom until the tension. is relieved and the strands.

The device as described is extremely simple. I

It affords, nevertheless, a firm grip upon the strands of thecable.Itcan be Iattachedand detached quickly, thus savingthe labor which hasbeen incidentalheretofore tothe' use'of pulling eyes of the type usuallyemployed. 1

j The device may be'embodied in Various forms, but the preferredconstruction isillustrated in the drawing, in which 5, indica-tes ashell of steelor other suitable metal having a tapered opening 6therein. A wedge 7 is device maybe utilized for pulling cables havingany number of strands by substituting suitable wedges. '7 Atits largerend, the'opening 6 in the shell 5 is preferably cylindrical as indicatedat 9,

and is adapted to receive an eye-block 10 hav ing an opening thereintoreceive a pin 11.

The pin is provided preferably with a groove 12, and a pin 13 isdisposed in a suitable openand thus to prevent escape of th'e'pin 11while the device is in the conduit. Aswivel link (not shown) of usualtype may be connected to may besecuredby a cotter 15.

In applying the cable grip,

the eye-block'by means ofa pin 14; which the strands 15 I at the end ofthe cable 16 are exposed by cutting awaythe sheath 17-and insulation 18.1 Theeye-block 10 is separated from the shell 5 and the wedge 7 iswithdrawn. The hared' ends of the strands are inserted through thesm'allerend of the tapered opening 6 and'the wedge? is centered betweenthe'latter, being disposed "in the-grooves 8. a driven home'and theeye-block 10 is replaced.

The wedge is The device may be connected then to the swivel link andtothe draft mechanism.v Upon the applicationof draft to the device, f

the cable strands are firmly gripped and the,

cable may be drawn through the conduit without danger. of .breaking theconnection or strippingfthe sheath from the cable...

The device .aifordsa simple, easily applied and certainconnectionbetween the draft mechanism and the cable. It may be connectedand disconnected at will with a minimum of effort. It neverthelessavoids the principal difliculties experienced heretofore in drawingcables through conduits.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction andarrangement of the parts Without departing from the invention orsacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

I claim:

1. In a cable grip, the combination of a shell having a bore extendinglongitudinally therethrough, said bore having one end tapered for thereception of a wedge for maintaining the cable in frictional engagementwith the shell and an eye block removably held within the other endofthe'boi'e for connection to draft means.

2.111 a cable grip, the combination of a shell having a bore extendinglongitudinally therethrough said bore having one end tapered for thereception of a Wedge lor maintaining the cable in frictional engagementmoeeee 3. In a cable grip, the combination of a.

shell having a bore extending longitudinally therethrough, said borehaving one end tapered for the reception of a Wedge for maintaining' thecable in frictional engagement with the end of the shell, a plurality oftransverse bores extending through the other end of the shell, aneyeblock in said other end of the longitudinal bore for connection todraft means "and means extending through the transverse bores forremovably holding the eye block Within said longitudinal. bore.

In testiinon whereof I al'tix m si nature.

LAMONT nnnns r MOFFITT.

